Wasn't Meant To Be: A Naruto Fanfic Oneshot
by Lover of Stories 24
Summary: Sakura and Sasuke are getting married. Lee is a guest at their wedding... SasuSaku & SakuLee.


Lee couldn't help smiling when he saw her beaming face, her cheeks flushed pink and eyes sparkling like emeralds. "Sakura-chan is more beautiful than ever," he whispered. But then he realized that she was looking past him, remembered that the smile adorning her rosy lips was meant for someone else. A sharp pain erupted in his chest, and it was a struggle just to hold back the tears that threatened to burst forth. "I hope you're happy with him," he murmured, blinking back the moisture. "I'll kill him if he hurts you."

Sakura was a radiant creature that day, her face lit up so bright it almost glowed. She was wearing a shimmering pearl white gown that trailed out behind her in layers of the finest silk, floating about her ankles so that it made her appear to glide across the floor as she walked. Her candy pink hair perfectly framed her face, curls ending just above her shoulders. A soft, gauzy veil of an intricate snowflake design fell over her locks, swishing behind her. Only a single tear gave away the pain she concealed behind her facade of pure joy, slipping slowly down her ashen cheek. "Lee," she breathed. "I'm sorry... Please understand." Her words were lost on the slight breeze that flowed in through the open window, unheard by the one they were directed to.

The raven-haired Uchiha, looking unnaturally formal in his suit and tie, couldn't help but notice Lee and Sakura's muted distress. Reason #1: He was not some unobservant, oblivious baka, unlike the blue-eyed dobe with spiky blonde hair across the room. Reason #2: Who the hell is unhappy at a wedding?! Especially at her own wedding, as in Sakura's case. Sakura had liked him enough to fight Ino for him, which was definitely not an activity for the weak of heart. Wasn't this what she wanted? His eyes narrowed, trying to see into her soul and better understand her thoughts. _If you don't love me, why are you doing this?_

Sasuke decided to pretend he had left the rings at home so he could be gone for a good twenty minutes, giving Sakura time to talk to Lee. He wasn't going to go through with this if it was just going to end in bitterness; what was the point of that? With a tap on a shoulder and a string of whispered words, he left the church, smiling at the rings held safely inside his pocket. Soon he was driving off for the Uchiha mansion, brow furrowed in thought.

* * *

Sakura watched him leave, eyes wide. _I'm sorry I cried, Sasuke-kun,_ she thought, brushing the glassy droplet from her cold cheek. _Did I hurt you? Was it enough to make you leave?_ Her eyes slowly wandered over to Lee, who quickly looked away.

Tenten tapped her on the shoulder. "He forgot the rings."

"Did you really think he would leave for no reason?" Ino asked incredulously, ruffling Sakura's hair. "Like we would _let_ him..."

Sakura had to stifle a laugh at that one. Privately, however, she thought Sasuke had more reason to leave than her four bridesmaids knew of. "Excuse me for a moment," she told them, then went off in search of Lee. There was something she had to do before she got married, loose ends she had to tie together. Lee had to understand that they could never be together, that she didn't love him... He had to see that that they would never be anything more than friends, and he had to accept it.

"Lee," she said quietly.

Startled, he turned around to face her, entranced by her voice. "Sakura-chan... Congratulations." He pressed a small wooden box into her hands, newly polished and glistening in the light. "I, um, made this for you two...I hope you like it," he said, managing a weak smile. "May you live long and happy lives, devoted to each other as long as you both shall live."

"Lee. Shut up." She swallowed a hard lump in her throat, which felt as dry as sandpaper. Her prying fingers gently forced open the box, which let out a soothing stream of music. The inside was lined with a soft blue velvet covering. On the inside of the top was a small mirror, and in the box was a dancing couple of painted plastic figures. One was a bride, with pink hair that drifted after her and an elegant dress created from a small piece of white fabric. The second figure wore a tuxedo complete with a tie, and had black hair that spiked up at the back. An unwrinkled scrap of parchment lay next to the spot where the two twirled gracefully to the symphony, reading a brief message written in blue ink: _And they lived happily ever after..._

"You made this? Yourself?" Sakura choked out, feeling her lashes grow heavy with moisture. "Thank you, but you really shouldn't have..."

"Sakura-chan, don't be silly. You know I would do anything for you," Lee said earnestly. "I would be the most uxorious husband ever..." He visibly paled hardly a second later, asking the unnerving question that ate away at the back of his mind with all seriousness: "You don't want me to pluck my eyebrows, do you?"

"Of course not," she giggled, imagining a Rock Lee without bushy eyebrows. Then her smile faded. "Lee, I'm sorry. It just wasn't meant to be..."

He forced a smile onto his lips, removing his hands from hers, if a little reluctantly. "It's okay, Sakura-chan. I understand: you love Sasuke, not me. I'm happy for you, honestly. You're going to be Mrs. Uchiha, you're going to bring back the Uchiha clan... All I want is for you to be happy."

Sakura was quiet for a moment. "Thank you," she sniffled, burying her face in his shoulder. "I'll name my first son after you, I promise..."

Lee tensed as her arms wrapped around him, enveloping him with warmth. "Sakura-chan...I don't mean to be rude, but you're crying on my tuxedo."

"Sorry," she said quickly, immediately pulling away.

"Here." He handed her an elaborate handkerchief, which she proceeded to sniffle into. "Keep it," he told her before she could apologize about ruining the lace. "Cheer up. It's your wedding; this should be the happiest day of your life."

"Lee," she breathed, wiping off the last tear her eyes dared to create, "You're going to find someone else...someone who loves you in return, someone who will be better for you than I could ever be. And when that happens, you had better invite me to your wedding, so I can be there for you, like you are for me now." She gave him one last hug, then departed to show her bridesmaids the music box.

"It's beautiful," Hinata said admiringly, cradling the delicately crafted gift in her arms. "Lee must be very talented."

"He is," Temari said with some envy, eyeing the box thoughtfully. "Whoever falls for him will be very lucky. I wish Shikamaru would take the time to make something like this for me...It would completely contradict his personality, though. He's such a lazyass."

Ino grinned. "Chouji, too. He'd probably just give me a box of chocolates or something else edible, then eat it all himself."

The door to the church swung open, revealing a victorious Sasuke, who held the rings in one hand.

* * *

"You may kiss the bride."

Their lips intertwined. Satisfied, Sasuke smirked. "I never forgot the rings," he whispered, stopping the kiss and coming up for breath. "I left because I could tell that you needed to talk to Lee."

Sakura sighed in defeat. "I'm a horrible actress, aren't I?"

"Yes, but you're a great kisser."

"I'll ignore the first part and take that as a compliment." She pressed her lips back to caress his, then parted a little unwillingly to toss the bunch of cut flowers into the crowd, crossing her fingers with the hope that a certain someone would catch it.

The bouquet sailed dramatically through the air and headed directly for Lee, proving Sakura's aim to be quite accurate. He ducked, however, and it soared on over his head.

Lee would never forget the feeling of her arms locked around him, the touch of her tears upon his shoulder, the warmth of her pressed against him. He wouldn't leave behind the memories, even if she did. "You were wrong, Sakura-chan," he said without a tint of regret, his eyes following the flying bouquet. "I will never find someone else...it will always be you."

**Author's Notes:** Poor Lee... T.T hugs him Please review!


End file.
